The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert level from three to four, as health officials around the world take steps to prevent the spread of the swine flu that has caused at least 149 deaths in Mexico and illnesses in several other countries. Meantime, in Mexico, there are signs the virus that causes the illness is on the move and that government efforts to control it are not sufficient.
世界卫生组织已经把猪流感流行警告级别从3级升至4级。与此同时，世界各地的卫生官员正在采取措施，防止业已在墨西哥造成149人丧生并在多国导致人感染患病的猪流感的蔓延。在墨西哥，有迹象显示导致人类患病的猪流感病毒正在蔓延，墨西哥政府控制这种疾病的努力成效欠佳。
Majority of cases in central region
Most of the early cases of swine flu detected in Mexico were in the central part of the country, but there are now cases being reported from one end of the country to the other. In large border cities like Juarez, where people live crammed together in poor neighborhoods, the flu could take hold quickly. Health officials are cautioning people to take preventive measures and to seek medical attention if they have severe flu symptoms. At least two people with such symptoms are being treated in a Juarez hospital, but authorities have yet to determine if these are cases of swine flu.
在墨西哥早期发现的猪流感病例都出现在墨西哥的中部地区，但是现在发现的病例则出现在该国从南到北的各个地区。在诸如华雷斯这样的边境大城市，很多人生活拥挤地生活在贫穷的社区，猪流感病毒会很快传播蔓延。卫生官员们正在警告人们采取预防措施，一旦发生严重的流感症状，就应该寻求医疗机构的关注。在华雷斯，至少两名具有流感症状的患者正在一家医院接受治疗，但是有关当局还没有确认这两人是否感染了猪流感病毒。
The governor of the state of Chihuahua, Jose Reyes Baeza says there are no confirmed swine flu cases anywhere in the border state, so far.
墨西哥奇瓦瓦州州长何塞.拜亚萨表示，目前为止在这个边境州还没有证实任何猪流感病例。
He says his state is taking precautions and preparing for any cases that do develop, in coordination with Mexican federal officials.
他说，他的州正在和墨西哥联邦官员协调合作，采取预防措施，为任何可能的猪流感疫情做好准备。
What measures have been taken?
Mexico has closed its schools, nationwide, until May 6 because of the epidemic and suspended large gatherings, such as sporting events or concerts where the virus could spread from person to person and infect many people all at once.
由于猪流感疫情的爆发，墨西哥已经在全国范围关闭学校，直到5月6号为止。同时还取消了诸如体育比赛和音乐会等大型群体活动。因为病毒在这些场合会在人群之间传播，让很多人同时受到感染。
But many Mexicans complain that health measures have been inadequate. The widow of one of the first confirmed fatalities says she found out her husband had died of swine flu from news reports. She says no health officials contacted her and that she cannot afford the anti-viral medicine they recommend people exposed to the virus take. There have been other reports of people with severe symptoms being turned away from hospitals and there are armed guards in front of some hospitals and clinics to prevent the facilities from being overrun by panic-stricken people.
但是，仍然有很多墨西哥人抱怨卫生措施不够完善。最早因为患猪流感而丧生的患者之一的遗孀表示，她是从新闻报导当中才得知自己的丈夫死于猪流感。她说，没有卫生官员和她取得联系，而且她也购买不起卫生官员建议易受猪流感病毒感染的人们服用的抗病毒药物。还有其它的报导称，一些有严重流感症状的患者被医院拒之门外，一些医院和诊所的门口有武装保安把守，防止这些医疗机构因受到猪流感疫情惊吓的人们而人满为患。
Disappointment in government response
Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos says the government does not have enough health workers to visit the families of every victim, but he says there is enough medicine available to treat flu victims. He says nearly 2,000 people have been hospitalized with respiratory illnesses since mid-April, but that more than half have been released. He says he does not know how many of those cases were confirmed as swine flu.
墨西哥卫生部长何塞.比利亚洛沃斯表示，政府没有足够的卫生工作者，做到探访每位猪流感疫情受害者的家庭。但是他说，政府储备有治疗猪流感疫情患者的足够药品。他表示说，自从4月中旬以来，有将近2千名患有呼吸道疾病的患者已经入院治疗，其中过半的患者已经出院。他说，他不知道那些患者当中有多少人被确诊为感染了猪流感病毒。
Cordova Villalobos says one of the first confirmed cases of the disease was in the state of Veracruz, where a four-year-old boy became ill after visiting an area where local people had been protesting pollution from a large pig farm. Authorities are now investigating whether pigs at that location or other farms in Mexico might have the disease. Veterinarians from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome are on their way to Mexico to help investigate.
比利亚洛沃斯表示，最早被确诊的猪流感病例之一出现在韦拉克鲁兹州，该州一名4岁大的男孩在去过一个当地人抗议过受到一家大型养猪场污染的地方之后而发病。有关当局正在调查那个地方或者墨西哥其它养猪场的猪是否染有猪流感。来自联合国设在罗马的世界粮农组织的兽医正在赶赴墨西哥的途中。他们将帮助调查疫情的源头。
Travel alert in effect
Some nations have issued warnings to their citizens to avoid unessential travel to Mexico, but the World Health Organization says closing borders or restricting travel would have little effect at this point. Instead, officials are urging people who are ill to avoid travel and asking those who do travel to take common sense measures such as frequent washing of hands and avoidance of people who show any symptoms of the flu.
一些国家已经向国民发出警告，要求他们避免前往墨西哥的不必要旅行。但是世界卫生组织表示，此时关闭边境或者施行旅行限制收效甚微。取而代之的做法是，官员们正在敦促患病的人们不要旅行，并要求外出旅行的人们采取勤洗手以及避免和任何有流感症状的患者接触等常识性的措施。 |